Re: AG: More Power Ramblings

From: drj1@freenet3.scri.fsu.edu (David Johnson)

Date: Tue, 04 Jul 1995 00:00:00 +0000

This is a very good "thread" and yet it is lacking one aspect.

I know you mean for it to deal with power level - but honestly
- you are only looking at one side of the coin.

Let me digress and explain...

Silatef Emmef (my favorite example) was doing quite
well with the group RAGNAROK - she was making high EP, getting more
gold than she could carry, seeing sites few get the opportunity to
see. She was challenged - overchallenged - at each encounter.  So you
say - what is the point?  Ah - here it is - although she was getting
high rewards - she could not make the biggest contribution (biggest is
wrong) a self rewarding size contribution.  IE - she must have been
sucking their EP like an NPC at pooling time.  In order to get better
-she needed fights she could handle more - weaker foes to develop a
new weapon against - because a punch dagger was not the end all of her
weapons.  She would not have GROWN into a fuller character because
anything she tried to tackle would have smitten her down - quite
easily.

Silatef NOW is a member of HEARTHSTONE - and in this
group she can perform - make a fighting contribution - make a
difference - ie a full partner.  She has gained rounding off skills
and almost perfected her new weapon - THE WARHAMMER - which for her is
pretty big.  I have been able to take a halfling which started with a
7 strength and make a passable character out of her.  She finally has
a 20 strength a 26 dex 23 stam and 25 cunning.  Because she was able
to make a fighting contribution - she got weapon points - and she
became MORE POWERFUL.

So far you ask - how does this make a point... well
here it is.  Right now - Silatef is more FUN to play because she does
MORE on each turn sheet.  She only gets 35 EP - but she becomes a
better character each day.  Perhaps she is rounded off enough now that
she could join RAGNAROK and make a contribution - but she could NOT
have stayed and become more rounded.  POWER LEVEL and EP do not equate
to fun or a good character.  I would say that many high POWER
characters are FLAWED - they are not ROUNDED and fleshed out.  They
just would not be fun.  I could not have bought my new weapon up - I
had to get free trains.  This allowed me to buy up my stats also.

So my point being - one needs to look at ones turn sheet and
ask - is this worth 10 bucks.  One should not look and say - I deserve
more POWER for my ten bucks - I deserve 50 turns times 40 = 2000 poewr
for my effort.  The best example of this is ALEX who in in Antar.  His
POWER LEVEL goes down or stays the same - but he is continually
getting fun turns to read - gaining skills - and stats.  If one loses
but gains a level in kick and a damage point and their power level
goes down - now that is a great turn.  Because when you take this
character out with others who are not fleshed and rounded - it can
survive.  I wish I RAN ALEX.  I would be an even happier manager.
ALEX is very effective on adventures because of his LOW POWER level
compared to his stats and skills and by such has allowed his entire
group to survive tougher encounters where everyone got to participate
- higher difficulties mean higher rewards for everyone - at the same
risk a HIGH POWER LEVEL concentrated character would receive - yet who
- because of such focus - could not defeat.

*** one note *** - I totally agree with any advances in the
game being made without regard to FAIRNESS because eventually all the
high level people WILL die or leave - because that is life even in AG
- (ressurrections do fail) - which will leave a more flavorful game
for everyone still playing - especially the NEWBIES who make the game
interesting with their added flavor - it should be a game fun for all
- not in the interest of the few.

So - I submit now to criticism - but I like to ENJOY the game
- not compete for PL points.  I like to have a fight where I am Dazed,
severely wounded and really tired with a messed up arm or leg and then
see my character struggle to "Punch the enemy in the GROIN and blood
flow eveywhere as the poor B. stumbles and collapses from the
incredible pain" - either that or wade through a barrage of spells and
trip and opponent and kick them in the head till dead.

(* Silatef Smiles*)

Enjoy the world electric - and PBM.

--
                         *****   David Ray Johnson   *****
              		            "Hawkwind"

References

AG: More Power Ramblings
dsaville@unm.edu (David G. Saville)
Tue, 27 Jun 1995 00:00:00 +0000